Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson collides with ref, who gets taken to hospital

An NHL referee was taken to the hospital on Monday after Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson slammed into him accidentally during Colorado's game in Philadelphia.

The referee's name is Mitch Dunning. Manson collided with him during the first period at the Wells Fargo Center. He appeared to try to slow down when he saw that Dunning was skating backwards right towards him. Dunning didn't see Manson come up from behind him and he went down hard onto the ice after getting hit.

 
Following the collision, Dunning was down for several minutes. He was then lifted onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital to get checked out. Before he left Manson went to talk to him.

The Associated Press reported that Dunning was fully communicative at the hospital and can move all of his extremities.

Dunning has been a full-time NHL ref since 2022.

"I just got back to the bench and next thing I know I looked out and saw Mans was kind of holding his face and the ref was on the ground," said Avs defenseman Cale Makar. "You never want to see that happen, especially on an accident like that. Very tough. Hopefully he's OK."